Variable attenuators and variable gain amplifiers are in great demand for use in wire and wireless communication applications such as cable modems and wireless receivers. Presently such devices use step attenuators, Gilbert multipliers or passive PIN diode attenuators. Passive PIN diode attenuators are discrete and difficult to integrate on a single chip. Step attenuators, though integratable, have relatively low absolute accuracy. The Gilbert multipliers do not provide the relative noise and distortion levels required for many communication applications. In addition, gain accuracy is also lower. Another variable gain function that is similar in functionality to this invention is a four-quadrant multiplier. Here two two-quadrant integrated multipliers are required to be parallel connected. As such the overall common mode rejection and offset accuracy is relatively poor.